An open letter from TJ

Over the years many people have asked, “Why do you like working at Rustici?” or “What’s the best part of working at Rustici Software?” In all of that time, my answer has never changed. I love working with awesome people. Everyone loves working with awesome people. The trick is being careful about who you hire. So what do we look for in the people that work here, now and in the future? It’s not necessarily years of experience or an exceptionally long list of half-remembered programming languages. What we do expect, is that all of our coworkers will…

Be exceptionally competent.

Come in with ideas about how things you’re knowledgeable about should be done. Be an expert. More importantly, be an expert with beliefs, opinions, and knowledge that can change. We’re looking for people who are experts that believe they have room to grow. Be humble. The right people seek out opportunities to refine and hone both their ideas and others’.

Be focused; be driven.

I love working with people who believe success and hard work is its own reward. Take pride in being great at what you do. Not perfect. Great. I’ve always found that working with people who expect exceptional work from themselves pushes me to be exceptional. This means making sure every 40-hour work week is the best work you can do. This means making sure you’re working on the most important task in your to-do list.

Be a contributor.

Be someone who contributes to the company. This doesn’t just mean in your work. Infuse this place with your personality. You’ve met people like this. They’re the ones that move an organization’s culture. The folks who get fired up over little things as much as they get fired up about the big things. They’re passionate. They want to convince you these new socks are the best socks ever (really, buy these socks). These are the same people that push an organization to make sure the parental leave policy is equitable. When working around hardworking contributors, it’s hard not to be impressed. They drive change, they drive creativity, and they help steer the direction of a company.

Be kind.

We all spend so much of our time with our coworkers that it’s essential the people we work with are pleasant to be around. This doesn’t mean we’ll all be best friends. What it does mean is that we want to work with people we look forward to seeing on Monday morning, who ask how we are when we’re down, and who we’re excited to share a lunchtime conversation with. The things that make someone the type of person we love being around will vary. For some people, it’s their superhuman empathy. Knowing your coworkers care about your well-being and how you’re doing can be incredibly comforting. For others, it’s a smiling face that stops by your office to say, “good morning.” But mostly, be kind, be understanding, and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Go!

If this sounds like you, if this sounds like a place you want to work, reach out and make it happen. Let us know why you’re the right fit for one of the jobs we have posted. Tell us that the right job for you isn’t posted, but it should be. Send us an email explaining how you fit the mold of our perfect coworker. We’d love to hear about your expertise, what drives you, and what’s special about your personality. Give us a taste of what we can look forward to hearing about when we ask about your weekend. Even better, send us evidence of who you are and what makes you great.